Named after your father perhaps?
Brush with Greatness.
I had the incredible pleasure a few hours ago to meet one of the last great British Roaring Boy actors, Peter O'Toole.
Now, anyone who knows me, knows that this incident will be filed away under, "Brush with Greatness - High Enjoyment Factor" as I have seldom recieved more pleasure than when I am taking in a flick starring either O'Toole, Burton or Harris or a combination of all three. Burton and Harris are gone now, so I'll never get the chance to pluck a pearl of wisdom from their potted skulls, but O'Toole is still going, still working and apparently still swilling the nectar (he was tonight).
How did I meet him? Well, the Savannah Film Festival is in full swing at the moment and I went to see O'Toole collect an life time achievement award and view a "film' of his choosing called "Jeffery Bernard is Unwell," which is really a filmed stage play performed at the Old Vic in London in 1999. It is an excellent piece of work and if you ever get the chance to see it, do yourself a favor and watch.
Anyway, long story short, I found my way into the VIP section at Gottliebs and in glides Mr. O'Toole, hanging like a dinner jacket on the arm of the actor Jason Patric (O'Tooles designated lamp post I assume) and they were followed by a rather sickly looking Roger Ebert (I believe he has been battling some form of cancer). I initially walked up to O'Toole and told him how much I loved his book of youthful memories, "Loitering with Intent" and he gave me a great big knowing, "I can't believe you read it" look, said "thank you sir, you are so kind," and that was that. I was quite sated by this quick meeting.
Then I talked to Roger Ebert, the film critic, about a fantastic piece he had written about a shit film called "Jack Frost" (Michael Keaton flick) that I have in a collected works book of his called "I hated, hated, hated this movie." I told him that my girlfriend and I had read this particular piece aloud at many parties to the hoots of our assembled guests and he seemed to really appreciate that slice of information. Then, an English woman came up to me - she heard me pretending to BE English with some other real English blokes - who all knew I wasn't English but were playing along - long story - and she really wanted to meet Peter O'Toole. He was in a converstational huddle not five feet away, and I said, "So, you say you want to meet Peter O'Toole do you, well come with me, I'll introduce you to him."
So, with no further ado, I confidently strolled right into the middle of the huddle and said, "Mr. O'Toole, may I present Jane, who is also from England, as she would love to meet you sir."
O'Toole was a real gent about it and after some pleasantries, he looked at me and I wasted no time, I siezed my moment to pick his brain and get him to tell me a yarn. I greased the wheel with a question concerning Richard Burton's love for books and words and he said with a nice smile, remembering Burton, "Yes, he always had a few books in his pocket..." and this segued somehow into, "...He was just 12 years old and shoveling shit in Wales..."
I REMEMBER these two quotes, in fact I shall never forget them. Wow, FAN MOMENT: There I was, a glass of red wine in my hand and By God, PETER O'TOOLE was leaning down (he's quite tall) into me, inches away from my face and giving me a classic old raconteurs take on his old pal RICHARD BURTON's love of books and the magical power of WORDS!
Very cool.
Oh yea,
The Red Sox swept the WORLD SERIES in FOUR GAMES! The curse is lifted. Bodes well for Kerry?
I had the incredible pleasure a few hours ago to meet one of the last great British Roaring Boy actors, Peter O'Toole.
Now, anyone who knows me, knows that this incident will be filed away under, "Brush with Greatness - High Enjoyment Factor" as I have seldom recieved more pleasure than when I am taking in a flick starring either O'Toole, Burton or Harris or a combination of all three. Burton and Harris are gone now, so I'll never get the chance to pluck a pearl of wisdom from their potted skulls, but O'Toole is still going, still working and apparently still swilling the nectar (he was tonight).
How did I meet him? Well, the Savannah Film Festival is in full swing at the moment and I went to see O'Toole collect an life time achievement award and view a "film' of his choosing called "Jeffery Bernard is Unwell," which is really a filmed stage play performed at the Old Vic in London in 1999. It is an excellent piece of work and if you ever get the chance to see it, do yourself a favor and watch.
Anyway, long story short, I found my way into the VIP section at Gottliebs and in glides Mr. O'Toole, hanging like a dinner jacket on the arm of the actor Jason Patric (O'Tooles designated lamp post I assume) and they were followed by a rather sickly looking Roger Ebert (I believe he has been battling some form of cancer). I initially walked up to O'Toole and told him how much I loved his book of youthful memories, "Loitering with Intent" and he gave me a great big knowing, "I can't believe you read it" look, said "thank you sir, you are so kind," and that was that. I was quite sated by this quick meeting.
Then I talked to Roger Ebert, the film critic, about a fantastic piece he had written about a shit film called "Jack Frost" (Michael Keaton flick) that I have in a collected works book of his called "I hated, hated, hated this movie." I told him that my girlfriend and I had read this particular piece aloud at many parties to the hoots of our assembled guests and he seemed to really appreciate that slice of information. Then, an English woman came up to me - she heard me pretending to BE English with some other real English blokes - who all knew I wasn't English but were playing along - long story - and she really wanted to meet Peter O'Toole. He was in a converstational huddle not five feet away, and I said, "So, you say you want to meet Peter O'Toole do you, well come with me, I'll introduce you to him."
So, with no further ado, I confidently strolled right into the middle of the huddle and said, "Mr. O'Toole, may I present Jane, who is also from England, as she would love to meet you sir."
O'Toole was a real gent about it and after some pleasantries, he looked at me and I wasted no time, I siezed my moment to pick his brain and get him to tell me a yarn. I greased the wheel with a question concerning Richard Burton's love for books and words and he said with a nice smile, remembering Burton, "Yes, he always had a few books in his pocket..." and this segued somehow into, "...He was just 12 years old and shoveling shit in Wales..."
I REMEMBER these two quotes, in fact I shall never forget them. Wow, FAN MOMENT: There I was, a glass of red wine in my hand and By God, PETER O'TOOLE was leaning down (he's quite tall) into me, inches away from my face and giving me a classic old raconteurs take on his old pal RICHARD BURTON's love of books and the magical power of WORDS!
Very cool.
Oh yea,
The Red Sox swept the WORLD SERIES in FOUR GAMES! The curse is lifted. Bodes well for Kerry?
posted by Unknown at 10/28/2004 01:13:00 AM
1 Comments:
The Bambino's Curse is gone, and you meet one of our all time heros? Well, this bodes well for somebody. Let's hope it's Kerry. O'Toole never starred in a comic book, so I doubt Bush even knows who the fuck he is.
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